Jameer Nelson hopes to avoid surgery on injured left wrist

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, right, talks with Jameer Nelson during a break in the Nuggets game against Indiana Pacers on Jan. 30. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

Jameer Nelson is running out of options.

A severely damaged left wrist is winding the veteran Nuggets point guard toward the one path he doesn’t want to take: Surgery.

“I (recently) saw my doctor in Philadelphia, which we all thought was best,” Nelson said. “And I got another MRI and it showed some stuff.”

Nelson wouldn’t elaborate what all that “stuff” was, but rest assured it’s not good. He’s been shelved for 12 of the last 14 games with a badly sprained left wrist, and has missed the last six straight after coming back and playing through the pain for consecutive games on Jan. 28 and Jan. 30.

He is not expected to play on Friday, when the Nuggets return to action against Sacramento. He did not practice on Wednesday and likely won’t on Thursday. He did do some work on the side and a bit of shooting after practice, which will be the plan for the next few days until he feels good enough to give it a try.

In addition to the MRI, Nelson had a shot in it “to of ease the pain and try to play through it,” he said. It is the last hope for the veteran, who wants to get back to contributing to the team. Surgery would likely end his season.

Asked about playing Friday, Nelson said “honestly I doubt it. Just give myself a couple of extra days, listen to my body and listen to the training staff and also the doctor.”

Nelson wouldn’t put a timetable for when a final decision needs to be made, instead insisting he’s going to play through it.

“By no means am I a hero or a Marvel character or anything like that,” Nelson said. “But I have played through a lot of injuries in my career and I’ll try to play through this one. If I can’t I’ll be smart.”

It is a frustrating time for Nelson, who has been such an important piece for the Nuggets this season. He took over the starting job when rookie Emmanuel Mudiay was injured. He finished games when the Nuggets needed experience on the court. He has been a rock for the team in the locker room as well.

This kind of an ending wasn’t on his radar when he was first forced to miss time because of the wrist back in mid-January.

“No I didn’t think so at all,” Nelson said. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s a contact sport. Things happen, and that’s part of it.

“It is what it is. It’s sore and hopefully the shot continues to work and I’m able to play.”

Follow Chris Dempsey on Twitter @dempseypost or email him at cdempsey@denverpost.com

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Chris Dempsey arrived at The Denver Post in Dec. 2003 after seven years at the Boulder Daily Camera, where he primarily covered the University of Colorado football and men's basketball teams. A University of Colorado-Boulder alumnus, Dempsey covers the Nuggets and also chips in on college sports.